ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that he would be happy to visit China to attend Victory Day celebrations later this year.

During talks with visiting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Moscow, Putin said: “I am grateful to you for the invitation to the ceremonial events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory over militaristic Japan and the end of World War II. I will be glad to visit friendly China again on an official visit timed to coincide with this date.”

Noting that Moscow and Beijing are developing their ties for the benefit of their own people rather than against a certain country, Putin described Russia-China relations as “equal, mutually beneficial, and non-opportunistic.”

Putin said that he intends to exchange views with Xi on the entire range of Russian-Chinese relations.

He further said that the sacrifices made by the Russian and Chinese people during World War II must never be forgotten and that Beijing will have the largest foreign military contingent in terms of numbers at the Red Square parade on Friday.

For his part, Xi, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday, said that the Chinese and Russian people, with “heavy losses,” won a “great victory” and made an “indelible historical contribution to the cause of world peace and the progress of mankind” 80 years ago.

He added that Moscow and Beijing are strengthening their political interaction as well as intensifying their practical cooperation.

"China-Russia relations are more confident, stable, and resilient in the new era," Xi told Putin, according to China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

On Tuesday, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said that Putin will take part in events in China to mark the 80th anniversary of Beijing's Victory Day, which is celebrated on Sept. 3.

Xi called it a "great pleasure" to attend the Moscow event on World War II, which Beijing calls "Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression."

"Over the past 80 years, China and Russia have braved winds and rains and carried forward their friendship that was forged in blood and fire," Xi told Putin.